KINGDOM’s Agency Apologizes For Album Cover Controversy + To Reproduce The Album

Sep 25, 2023

KINGDOM’s agency GF Entertainment has issued an official apology following a controversy surrounding the cover design of KINGDOM’s seventh mini album.

Initially set for pre-order on September 21, concerns arose regarding the album’s design, which some noted bore similarities to the Qur’an, the holy book of Islam. In response, the agency expressed regret for their lack of awareness and offered apologies to the Muslim community and those who may have been affected. Furthermore, the agency announced the recall and disposal of all 70,000 copies of the initial album edition, with plans to reproduce the album with new design and reopen pre-orders on September 26. The official release date of the album on October 18 remains unchanged.

GF Entertainment’s full English statement is as follows:

"Hello, this is GF Entertainment.

We’ve recently received feedback concerning the cover of KINGDOM’s 7th mini album, which was originally scheduled for pre-order on the 21st. It has been pointed out that the design bears some resemblance to the Islamic scripture.

KINGDOM is a group that strives to showcase the richness of world cultures through K-pop, with a strong commitment to promoting cultural diversity and coexistence. We deeply regret that this controversy has arisen due to our lack of awareness and oversight, and we acknowledge our shortcomings in this matter. We offer our sincere apologies to the Muslim community and anyone else who may have felt discomforted by this situation.

We humbly express our regret and take this opportunity to assure you that we are committed to taking steps to prevent such incidents from occurring in the future.

In light of this, we have made the decision to recall and discard all 70,000 copies of the initial album edition and proceed with a reissue. Pre-orders for KINGDOM’s new album will recommence at 11 a.m. on the 26th, and the official release will proceed as originally scheduled on October 18.

We extend our heartfelt apologies to the dedicated fans who love KINGDOM for any inconvenience this may have caused."

cr: Soompi